The Old Regular Baptists are another primitive sect of Baptists. Mainly found in the Appalachian region of Kentucky, where in some rural counties they are the predominant group among all churches, except Missionary Baptists. Where did they come from and how are they different from other Primitives? Let's take a look.
Originally, they were called "Old Regular Primitive Baptists". This name lasted until the 1890's. They dropped "Primitive" from their name in response to new doctrines and extremes that other Primitive Baptists were beginning to embrace. These extremes include the new teaching among Hardshell PB's that hearing and believing Gospel has nothing to do with eternal salvation, as well as absolute predestination of all things among some Old Liners. Until this time, most Old Regulars had correspondence with other PB's, yet they were always distinct from them in many ways. The Old Regulars are a remnant of the Regular and Separate Baptist union, and they have always allowed for differing views on the atonement. There seems to have been 3 different streams of them in the beginning. One was calvinistic, one was like the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists being neither Calvinist nor Arminian and holding to a general atonement, and another believing in limited atonement, yet rejecting individual predestination. In other words anyone can be saved, but because of God's foreknowledge, Christ only died for those God knew would accept His invitation. The first faction is all but gone, as most of those churches split when the Old Liners began preaching their new doctrines, with some going with them, and others joining one of the other two factions, having been "convinced that it is of no use to hold to this extreme Calvinism, and if we are to err, it will be on the side, of inviting all to come to repentance and let our great and mighty God deal with the consequences". This seemed to be agreeable to the other Old Regulars, so there may have been more than one view in the same church.
There are some doctrinal distinctives exclusive to them (more or less). One is the belief that "doubting" your salvation is both healthy and evidence that one is born again. They hold to eternal security of the believer, yet there is constancy in testing "to see if you be in the faith". Most are in doctrinal harmony with the United Baptists, which are also common in Kentucky. Like other Primitives they observe footwashing. There is some disagreement among them as to when a person is born again, some holding it begins at the beginning of their "travail" and others at the end of it. In my church we would call this being under "conviction".They always issue an invitation at the end of the sermon.The following are the Articles of Faith common to most, copied directly from the Old Regular website.
We believe in the one true and living God, and not withstanding there are Three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, yet there is but one in substance, equal in power and glory, not to be divided and impossible to change in principle and practice.
We believe the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the true written words of God and were given by inspiration of God and there is a sufficiency in them contained for our instruction and they are the only rule of our faith and practice.
We believe the doctrine of original sin, and that man sinned since the fall, and that men are by nature the children of wrath.
We believe in the impotency or inability of men to recover themselves out of the state they are in; therefore, a Savior is absolutely needed.
We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
We believe in the perseverance of the Saints. That by grace through faith they are born again and adopted into the family of Heaven; that they will become equal heirs with Jesus Christ in glory, and that He will raise them up at the last day.
We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are Gospel Ordinances; that true believers are the proper subjects and we admit no other.
We believe that the true mode of baptism is by immersion, to baptize a person by their own consent, back foremost in the water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
We believe that washing of one anothers feet is a commandment of Christ, left on record with His disciples, and ought to be practiced by His followers.
We believe in the resurrection of the dead and general judgment when all will be judged according to their deeds done in the body.
We believe the punishment of the wicked will be everlasting and the joys of the righteous will be eternal after death.
We believe that no one has the right to administer the Gospel Ordinances but such as are legally ordained and qualified there unto.
We believe it to be the duty of all church members to attend church meetings, and that it is the duty of the church to deal with them for neglecting same.
We believe it to be the duty of all church members to contribute to the support of the church by defraying all reasonable expenses of same, never neglecting the poor, according to their several abilities.
We believe that any doctrine that goes to encourage or indulge the people in their sins or cause them to settle down on anything short of saving grace in Christ for salvation is erroneous and such doctrine will be rejected by us.
None of the above articles shall be construed as to hold with particular election or reprobation as to make God partial directly or indirectly so as to injure children of man.
Like other Primitives, they rejected Sunday Schools, instruments, and mission societies and paid ministers. Unlike other Primitives, they only baptize in "living water", meaning lakes or rivers. I believe this has to do with symbolism more than doctrine though, as they are "liberal" in accepting others into their fellowship those who were baptized in other Baptist churches which use indoor baptistries. Unlike other Primitives, some of them have a strain of legalism, whereby women do not cut their hair and wear only dresses well below the knees, and makeup is frowned upon. This however is beginning to change, as a new crop of them has come up who became alarmed at the dwindling numbers in their churches. In the last 10 to 15 years, a younger generation has begun to plant new churches, even way beyond the borders of their associations located in Kentucky, in North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Arkansas which reject this legalism. Most, whether legalistic or not, have no issue with observing holidays like Christmas and Easter in their churches.
If you visited one of their churches, you would find much similarity with other Primitives. No music, with some singing lined-out style, and others singing the more familiar tunes but with no music. The newer churches even sing contemporary Christian songs, altho with no musical instruments. One note of difference though, is that they are the only sect I know of where the style of preaching is exclusively done in "holy tone", a style of preaching that is almost sung or chanted. While their doctrine has not changed, recently they have begun to reach out more, establishing new churches, and being more open on "optional" things like dress, hair etc. Most are very warm and would welcome any to visit, and the elders I have spoken with have been very kind and forth right in the info they have given me. Although they are small in numbers, if their current rate of establishing new churches continues, they will outnumber the Old Line PB's within a generation, and as long as they are preaching the Gospel to all, and extending the invitation to all, I wish them much blessing and success. Ken Mann
